How do I get an appointment?
Our service is open to families who live in Lambeth or Southwark or registered with a Lambeth or Southwark GP. We also see children who attend schools in Lambeth or Southwark.
If you're concerned about your child, you can access our service in the following ways:
- talk to your health visitor, other health professional or your child's nursery teacher or school teacher as they can all make a referral for you
- get a referral from your GP, social services or the education authority
- refer your child yourself if they have already had an appointment with us
Cancelling or changing your appointment
If you are unable to attend your appointment for any reason, please contact us using the relevant numbers on the right as soon as possible. We will try to arrange a more suitable appointment time for you.
Please note if you do not attend and do not let us know, we may assume you no longer require our service and you'll be discharged.
Before your appointment
Please bring:
- your child's red book (personal child health record)
- any forms that have been sent to you
- any recent relevant reports, for example from the educational psychologist, school, speech and language therapist.
Language support
An interpreting service is available for all appointments. Please let us know if you need an interpreter and the language you'd like to speak.
If you need to speak to someone before coming to your appointment, language line can be used to make sure that language is not a barrier to communication. Contact the language support service:
What to expect at your appointment
Your child will be seen by one of our doctors.
The length of the appointment will vary, and depends on the reason we need to see your child. Please attend the appointment with your child.
Your first appointment will usually include a discussion about your concerns and how your child is managing at home, nursery or school. We will ask for detailed information about your child’s health and development, for example your child’s:
- birth and social situation
- family structure
- housing
Depending on the type of clinic, this may be followed by a physical examination.
After your appointment
There are a number of possible outcomes at the end of your first appointment:
- you may be given some advice and strategies to help your child without a follow-up appointment, unless there is any concern in the future
- we may give you a follow-up appointment so we can understand your child’s strengths and needs better
- your child may be referred to another professional for an appointment, for example a speech and language therapist, physiotherapist or occupational therapist or to another team of professionals
We'll let your GP and other health professionals know that your child has had an appointment with us, and with your consent we'll also inform your child’s school, nursery or other professionals involved in your child's care.